The reaction of perfluoro-2,4-dialkyloxolanes with anhydrous aluminum chloride

Several kinds of perfluoro-2,4-dialkyloxolanes (A), having such alkyl groups as R_fR′_fCF₃ (2a); R_fC₂F₅, R′_fCF₃ (3a); R_fCF₃, R′_fC₂F₅ (4a); R_fR′_fC₂F₅ (5a); R_fCF₃, R′_fnC₃F₇ (6a) on the 2 and 4 positions of the oxolane ring, respectively, were treated with AlCl₃ in a heterogeneous reaction to give the corresponding perfluoro-2,5,5-trichloro-2,4-dialkyloxolanes (B). For purposes of comparison, the respective reactions of perfluoro-2-methyl-oxolane (la), perfluoro-2-n-butyloxolane (7a), and perfluoro-2, 5-dimethyloxolane (8a) with AlCl₃ were also conducted. An increasingly higher reaction temperature was needed for the reaction of A with AlCl₃ to give B as the carbon number of A increased. Cis- and trans-perfluoro-4-chloro-2,4-dimethyl-γ-butyrolactones (2c) were obtained from the hydrolytic reactions of cis- and trans-perfluoro-2,5,5-trichloro-2,4-dimethyloxolanes (2b), respectively, with fuming H₂SO₄. Physical properties and ¹⁹F nmr data are given for these new compounds.